6.16.2014

By Gloria Dulan-WilsonI just received this from the Center for American Progress, and it's worth repeating - read, share and take action - we're all in this together, and we have to work together to make sure that we don't lose under any circumstances. We can do this!!!

RELEASE:
50 Years After Freedom Summer, Report Shows that Communities of Color
Can Shift the Balance of Power in ‘Black Belt’ States

Washington, D.C. — Fifty years after Freedom Summer sparked a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement, a new report released today by the Center for American Progress, in conjunction with an event
exploring the subject, examines how current demographic and political
changes in heavily black southern states could upset the balance of
power in many of the country’s so-called “Black Belt” states.
The report analyzes 13 Black Belt states that are still defined by
racial polarization: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia,
Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina,
Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. In these Black Belt states—which each
contain a black population of at least 10 percent—voters of color
continue to be locked out of statewide politics, and candidates of color
rarely get elected to statewide office. However, as outlined in the
report, a massive wave of voter registration could trigger a major shift
in the country’s political landscape that would shake up the status quo
and create a more inclusive Black Belt.
According to the analysis, registering just 30 percent of eligible
unregistered black voters or other voters of color could shift the
political calculus in a number of Black Belt states. Meanwhile,
registering 60 percent of unregistered black, Hispanic, and Asian voters
would upset the balance of power in Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas in presidential or
midterm election year. In a presidential election year, Alabama would be
added to that list.
The report finds that a massive wave of voter registration for people
of color would yield significant results. These are some of the
report’s findings:

In Georgia, gubernatorial candidates have won the past three
governor’s races with a net average margin of 260,703 votes. According
to CAP’s analysis, there are an estimated 692,100 eligible unregistered
blacks living in the state. Registering 60 percent of these eligible
voters would create 292,000 new black voters, after accounting for
turnout rates. Additionally, registering 60 percent of the estimated
895,700 eligible unregistered black, Hispanic, and Asian voters in the
state would create 369,200 new voters, exceeding the aforementioned
margin of victory.

In South Carolina, gubernatorial candidates have won the past
three governor’s races with a net average margin of 79,021 votes.
According to CAP’s analysis, there are an estimated 259,600 eligible
unregistered blacks living in the state. Registering 60 percent of these
eligible voters would create 116,900 new black voters, after accounting
for turnout rates. Additionally, registering 60 percent of the
estimated 296,900 eligible unregistered black, Hispanic, and Asian
voters in the state would create 128,800 new voters, exceeding the
aforementioned margin of victory.

In Florida, gubernatorial candidates have won the past three
governor’s races with a net average margin of 352,841 votes. According
to CAP’s analysis, there are an estimated 663,200 eligible unregistered
blacks living in the state. Registering 60 percent of these eligible
voters would create 268,300 new black voters, after accounting for
turnout rates. Additionally, registering 60 percent of the estimated
1,574,800 eligible unregistered black, Hispanic, and Asian voters in the
state would create 603,500 new voters, exceeding the aforementioned
margin of victory.

“As we prepare for 2014, the majority of states in the South are
marred by new voter suppression laws and old patterns of political
exclusion,” said Ben Jealous, Senior Fellow at the Center for American
Progress and author of the report. ”Fifty years later, the legacy of
Freedom Summer reminds us that the antidote to each is a sustained wave
of massive voter registration. Moreover, given the ongoing political and
demographic changes in the Black Belt, large investments in voter
registration could dramatically shift the balance of power and unleash
democracy in states that have historically resisted it.”Read the report: True South: Advancing Democracy in the Black Belt 50 Years After Freedom Summer by Ben JealousWatch the event livestream starting at 10:30am EST here.For more information or to speak to an expert on this topic, contact Tanya Arditi at 202.741.6258 or tarditi@americanprogress.org.

###

The Center for American Progress
is a nonpartisan research and educational institute dedicated to
promoting a strong, just and free America that ensures opportunity for
all. We believe that Americans are bound together by a common commitment
to these values and we aspire to ensure that our national policies
reflect these values. We work to find progressive and pragmatic
solutions to significant domestic and international problems and develop
policy proposals that foster a government that is "of the people, by
the people, and for the people."

FYI: UPCOMING ELECTIONS DATES AND STATES
I
did some sleuthing to see which states are having their primary
elections, and when. We talk about getting out the vote, but if we
don't know when they're taking place, how can we be effective? So I
found this website that breaks down all the dates and states - READ,
SHARE, ACT - We can't just be about the verbal - we have to be
pro-active. A lot of our incumbents' seats are endangered - and it does
us no good to just talk about it without being hands on over the next
129 days

2014 Upcoming Elections

The 2014 U.S. Midterm election will be held on Tuesday, the 4th of
November 2014.
There will be a Total of 39 Gubernatorial Elections (15 Democrat Seats,
23 Republican Seats, 1 Independent Seat) -- 31 Eligible Incumbents, 8
Open Races.
Congressional elections (federal and states congress) will be held
nationwide.
A total of 35 U.S. Senate seats up for election in 2014. Of those
seats,21 are held by
Democrats and 14 are held Republicans.

Note:
Laws, rules, and procedures in State and local elections may differ depending on the type of election.

General Elections:

General elections have the most offices and issues on the
ballot and usually generate more interest and higher turnout than any
other elections.Most offices on the general election ballot are
partisan.

Primary and Caucus

Primary elections are one means by which a political party
nominates candidates for the next general election.
The main difference between a caucus and a primary is that a
caucus involves face-to-face interaction between voters, where voters
can try to persuade one another to vote for (or against) a certain
candidate.

Municipal Elections

In municipal elections, registered voters elect members of their local government,
such as mayors, council people, township supervisors and district judges.

School Elections

School elections are held to elect school board members and community college directors

Special Elections

A special election is held when someone who is already in office can no longer serve and must be replaced.
All registered voters in the district can vote in a special election.

November 4,2014 Election

One
of MyTime2Vote's top priorities is providing our citizens access to all
of the latest States and Federal election information.

We're currently updating to the following pages

States Elected Officials listing

States District maps and census

Elections Calendar

States Summary

We are working days and nights to give you up-to-date information, but we urge you to be proactive!
For website bug report, data issues ,data/rss feeds submission,feedback,
or general questions about Mytimetovote.com,please send an email to info@mytime2vote.com

June is upon us already - and there is a finite time for registration in
many states - so let's get with the program. If you have any 18 year
olds who will be eligible to vote by June, get them registered now
BEFORE YOU GIVE THEM THEIR BIRTHDAY GIFTS. And let them know that they
will receive the other half of the gift AFTER THEY HAVE ACTUALLY VOTED.

Share this chart with friends, family, enemies, associates - we have to be in it to win it across the board.
Now that you know - what will you do?

This should be some incentive to get college students registered to vote, as well as their parents and the college adminstrators themselves. We cannot afford to leave anyone of the equation. If you have someone in your family turning 18, give them a voter registration card along with their birthday card, and let them know that they will receive the rest of their birthday gifts after they vote.